


Suits & Tea

by Pillow_Bee



Category: James Bond (Craig movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, M/M, Misunderstandings, Multimedia, Mutual Pining, coffee shop AU
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-11-19
Updated: 2017-11-19
Packaged: 2019-02-04 08:33:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,209
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12767106
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Pillow_Bee/pseuds/Pillow_Bee
Summary: Q’s brain had stuttered for a second or two at the thought of being openly ogled at by a rather good-looking stranger — so he had held Suit Guy’s stare for a lot longer than was socially acceptable.(00Q Coffee Shop AU!)





	1. Chapter 1

“I swear, Suit Guy over there has been stealing glances this way for the past twenty minutes,” Q mumbled under his breath.

Opposite him, Eve arched her eyebrows, but expertly did not turn around to check.

“Is he handsome, at least?” she asked, smirking.

“Well...” Q casually took a sip of his iced honey lemonade. “He’s not bad, I mean...”

Eve laughed at this, shaking her head at Q’s probably pink face. “You’re adorable when you’re checking someone out.”

“I am _not_ checking him out! If anything, he’s checking _us_ out,” Q hisses, but this only made Eve laugh harder.

Around them, the cafe was [alive](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s-6U-ornUak) with soft chatters, unobtrusive music, and the clinking of cutlery and cups being placed back down on its saucers. Seated at the table on Q’s right were a couple and their young daughter (probably around three years old); the father was too focused on his mobile while the mother stared serenely out the cafe window. Behind this couple were two ladies, probably on their lunch break just like Q and Eve, and then behind _them_ sat the lone Suit Guy. Eve had her back to him, so Q was the one who had a clear view of him.

His blond hair was cropped short, his dark blue suit clung perfectly around his figure. He didn’t have a briefcase or a laptop anything else with him, and did not seem to be waiting for anyone.

Suit Guy was already there when Q and Eve arrived at their favourite little cafe, and from what Q could tell, he’s had two cups of coffee and nothing else. Q first noticed Suit Guy looking their way when their eyes accidentally met around twenty minutes ago. Q had thought nothing of it; he simply looked away and continued chatting with Eve (she was regaling him with the details of her second date with Alec from accounting). But when Eve had excused herself to use the washroom, Q’s eyes met Suit Guy’s once more — accidentally, on Q’s part, but Suit Guy had clearly been observing him (or them) for a while.

He was leaning back comfortably against his seat, arms folded, when Q’s eyes had made contact with his. Q’s brain had stuttered for a second or two at the thought of being openly ogled at by a rather good-looking stranger — so he had held Suit Guy’s stare for a lot longer than was socially acceptable, only to have Suit Guy subtly arch his brow back at him.

Of course, this was Q’s cue to hastily look away and take large sips of his lemonade.

Eve had returned shortly after and Q had been trying really hard not to glance in Suit Guy’s direction since. He succeeded for a while, absorbed as he was in Eve’s tale — but then the little girl at the next table began banging her fork against her plate, prompting Q and Eve to turn and look, and, well, Q caught Suit Guy’s eyes once more after that.

“Maybe it’s time to let him know you’re on to him,” Eve said presently, her smile changing into something mischievous.

“Oh please, he looks straight,” Q said, stabbing at his chips.

“Shall I turn around and look at him to verify that?”

“Eve, don’t you dare, he’ll know we’ve been talking about h—"

But Eve, damn her, was already turning around in her seat, her smirk still firmly in place. Q had to fight the urge to facepalm himself there and then.

Suit Guy definitely knew they were talking about him now. He returned Eve’s smirk, and Q swore Suit Guy’s good looks just skyrocketed some 350% more.

“Well, he’s definitely interested in one of us,” Eve said, twisting back to face Q. “And since I’ve got my back to him this whole time, my money’s on you, darling.”

“Oh my god, stop,” Q groaned.

“And it’s not fair to judge a book by its cover, you know. He might swing both ways.”

" _Might_ ,” Q emphasized, pointing his fork at Eve. “Look, can we just get back to Alec and your second date and all that, please?”

“Okay, okay. No need to get all riled up, I was only joking.”

Eve thankfully stopped teasing him after that, and Q tried his very best to ignore Suit Guy sitting across the cafe from them. They managed to get through lunch without much event: they ate, gossiped some more, and then it was time to go.

(Suit Guy did not get up from his seat, and Q and Eve left the cafe peacefully. Part of Q was rather disappointed that Suit Guy did not come after them, but the other, more logical, part of him scoffed at this — why would a complete stranger come after _him_? It was just innocent flirting from across cafe tables.)

“So. Third date with Alec?” Q asked while they were waiting to cross the zebra crossing right outside the cafe. Their arms were linked and Eve was leaning her head against Q’s shoulder as she wont to do.

“I don’t know, maybe,” Eve hummed. “I mean, I do enjoy his company. He’s alright.”

“That’s good to hear.”

“Maybe I’ll bring you along, see if you approve.”

“Eve, you don’t need my approval,” Q said, laughing. “As long as he makes you happy, I’m happy.”

“Well, yeah, but it’s crucial that he gets along well with you. You _are_ my best friend, you know.”

“Thanks, Eve.”

“Maybe we can have a double date with Suit Guy!”

Q bumped his shoulder against hers as they crossed the road. “Yeah, right. Like we’d ever run into Suit Guy again.”

(Unbeknownst to them, Suit Guy was observing them from within the cafe, a small smile tugging on his lips.)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tada!
> 
> I've never gone out to cafes alone by myself before - usually I'd have things to-go and eat my meals back home because I don't like leaving my comfort zone lol, but today I ventured out into a nearby cafe for lunch, and then THIS was the result!
> 
> (Maybe I should go out more? Hmm...)
> 
> Comments are loved! :3


	2. Chapter 2

“Kincade? Customer,” Bond called out.

It was very early still, and the cafe had only been open for half an hour. Kincade was busy setting up the cake display while Bond was busy texting his great aunt away in the kitchen at the back when the bell jingled, signalling someone’s entrance into the cafe.

“Feet off the table!” Kincade said as he passed by Bond on the way to the front counter, carrying a tray of freshly baked something. Smirking, Bond obliged.

Bond’s great aunt Olivia was the one who had founded this very cafe, but her health had started to decline some ten years ago, so Bond and Kincade had been taking care of business since then — Kincade more so than Bond. Of late, Aunt Olivia had been trying to persuade him to take over the cafe completely, even insinuating that he quit his job.

“You hate it and everyone you’re working with, anyway, James,” she had said, and while that was very true, Bond had simply laughed it all off.

Bond lost his train of thoughts when he saw a glimpse of the customer Kincade was dealing with from where he sat in the kitchen — a pale, handsome face dominated by a pair of large glasses, with pink lips, and unruly dark curls—

It was the same guy from yesterday, the one who was trying so hard not to give in to Bond’s little flirting game.

He looked just as handsome as Bond remembered. When the guy had walked in with his friend (colleague? girlfriend?) yesterday, Bond simply could not take his eyes off him. A pretty face, yes, but the more Bond had observed him, the lovelier he became: he spoke with his elegant hands, his grey-green eyes would crinkle behind his glasses when he smiled, and he would duck his head whenever he laughed at whatever it was his companion was saying.

And then, he had caught Bond staring — he was even more precious when flustered. Bond had enjoyed every minute of it yesterday, knowing from the furtive glances the other man had thrown his way every now and then that the pair was gossiping about him at their table.

Teasing him from across the cafe without even saying a word had been very amusing, but Bond thought that if he had gotten up and asked for the guy’s number, it would scare him away and he might not drop by for lunch here ever again. So when the pair had stood up to leave, Bond had simply let them go on their way peacefully.

But now, the very same customer was here again...

Bond could snatch a few sentences here and there ( _“...Earl Grey, please. Thank you kindly...”_ ) as Kincade took down the customer’s order. Judging by the fondness trickling from Kincade’s voice, this one was a regular — friendly chatter did not come easily to Kincade. 

His interest piqued, Bond sat up straighter and waited for Kincade to re-enter the kitchen with the customer’s orders.

“What did he want?” Bond asked casually as Kincade came back.

“Oh, his usual. Cup of Earl Grey tea and some egg sandwiches to go.”

“I’ll get the tea,” Bond said, getting up from his seat. This earned him a suspicious look from the older man. “Trying to help, Kincade. That’s all.”

The suspicious look did not wear off, but Kincade did not question him further. “I’ll go get the sandwiches, then.”

Smiling, Bond began to busy himself with all the tea-making things. A quick glance out the kitchen told him that the customer had settled down at the same table yesterday (must be “their” table, then) and was rather preoccupied with his phone.

“He’s a regular, then?” Bond asked.

“Oh yes. Kid’s been single-handedly responsible for most of our Earl Grey sales. Drinks nothing else most of the time. Here, hand me that paper bag, will you?”

“No, no. I got this.”

Kincade, who had been sparing Bond only half his attention so far, now stopped in his tracks.

“You’re awfully helpful this morning, boy,” he deadpanned.

“I know. You’re welcome,” Bond returned easily, smiling. Shaking his head, the older man said nothing else and let Bond had his way.

Armed with the customer’s orders, Bond made his way out of the kitchen towards the front counter. The other man was still focused on his mobile phone, and Bond took a quick second to really look at him.

Younger than Bond, definitely, probably in his early thirties; very slim, judging from those elegant fingers typing away on his phone and from what Bond had seen yesterday — today, most of his figure was swallowed up by an oversized black anorak, with a comfortable-looking grey scarf wound around his neck. A dark coloured briefcase rested on the table in front of him.

“Sir? Your order’s ready,” Bond called out. This resulted in the mobile phone quickly being put away and the customer standing up; and then, upon looking up and meeting Bond’s eyes, the customer stuttered into a stop.

“Oh,” was all he said, and Bond couldn’t help but smile at this. The younger man blinked at him once or twice before approaching the counter. “You were here yesterday, too.”

“Yes, I was,” Bond said simply, still smiling.

“Right. Ah.” Here, the customer began to fish out his wallet before paying Bond the exact change for his tea and sandwiches. The tips of his ears were pink, despite the cool facade he put on. If Bond didn’t do something now, he had a feeling that the other man would simply grab his meal and run for the door.

“I hate to do this,” Bond said, wishing to break the awkward silence, “but do you come here often?”

At this, the customer’s rather dazed look disappeared, and Bond was surprised by the huff of laughter that followed.

God, this man was _beautiful_ when he laughed.

Bond had enjoyed this stranger’s smiles and laughter from afar yesterday, but to be able to see it up close...

“Yes, in fact I do come here often,” said the customer, now smiling as well. “With my friend whom you saw yesterday. This is one of our favourite haunts, to be honest.”

Bond could feel the awkwardness melting away.

“I am glad to hear that. Thank you for your continuous support, Mr...?”

“Oh. Q, please.” He shifted the paper bag into the crook of his left arm before extending his right hand towards Bond. 

“Q?” Bond asked, shaking the other man’s hand.

“Yes. Like the letter,” said Q, smiling.

Bond felt himself becominv even more enamoured by this man, this... _Q_ , with his soothing voice and his tentative smiles...

(And his warm, warm hand—)

“Like the letter,” Bond repeated slowly. “Right.”

“And— are you the owner of the place, Mr...?”

“Bond, James Bond. And no, that would be my great aunt,” Bond said, and Q gave a small, “ah” before letting go of Bond’s hand.

“I see. Well. Send my regards to Kincade. I’d better be off, Mr. Bond, James Bond.”

Bond laughed at this and watched as Q made his way to the door, still smiling. Even though Q did not spare a backward glance at him, Bond could still see his smile as he crossed the street to the other side. Bond watched, leaning his hip against the counter, as Q rounded the corner and disappeared from his sight.

Quietly, Kincade appeared from the kitchen to stand next to him.

“You call _that_ flirting?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh, Kincade!


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> More details, Q!! :O


End file.
